After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 66

“I don’t know what I did to offend Your Majesty the Dowager Consort to make you remember me so vividly… And why would you make such a fuss just because I helped Miss Jiang adjust her hair ornament? Since Your Majesty clearly dislikes me so much, I might as well end my life today…”

With these words, Qi An raised a pristine handkerchief to gently dab the corners of her eyes. The faint tears glistening on her lovely face made her seem even more vulnerable and in need of protection. Jiang Yu knew Qi An was acting, but seeing her friend’s tears still made her heart ache.

The surrounding Madams and Misses looked alarmed. They pleaded repeatedly, “Dowager Consort, please spare this maid! Why should we bother with such trivial matters?”

Dowager Consort Zhang was taken aback. She hadn’t even threatened Qi An, had she? The crowd’s reaction made it seem as if she had already punished the girl. For the first time, she felt utterly flustered and overwhelmed. The clamor of voices gave her a headache, and she decided to muddle her way through the situation.

Unexpectedly, the Old Madam of the Chancellor’s Residence, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly tapped her cane. Though advanced in years, her voice still rang out clearly: “What does Dowager Consort Zhang mean by this? Does she imagine herself to be the sun at its zenith in the palace? The one truly deserving respect is the Empress Dowager in Shou Kang Palace. What are you trying to accomplish here, using others’ influence to intimidate us?”

The Old Madam of the Chancellor’s family was known for her sharp tongue, but it was precisely her outspoken nature and formidable family background that allowed her to advise the Emperor on his mistakes and rebuke ministers for their shortcomings. Even the Emperor granted her a measure of deference.

And precisely because the General’s Residence was currently at the height of its influence in court, Shen Yun had been invited. She smiled faintly. Who cares about some Dowager Consort? Even she has to listen to the Old Madam.

This was precisely why the Dowager Consort’s Residence hadn’t invited her to their plum blossom viewing party, and why the Old Madam would never lower herself to attend such an event.

But now, with so many people present—and at a General’s Residence banquet, which she detested—the Old Madam’s blunt words were a deliberate snub to Dowager Consort Zhang.

“Old Madam, you’re accusing me unfairly,” Shen Yun interjected quickly, stepping forward to smooth things over before Dowager Consort Zhang and the Old Madam came to blows. “I was just asking casually. How could I possibly think of myself as some rising star?”

Beside her, Lülüo hurried forward with a smile. “Madam, the kitchen says the meal is almost ready. We can take our seats now.”

This diversion gave Dowager Consort Zhang the perfect excuse to gracefully back down. She quickly stepped aside, avoiding seating herself next to the Old Madam. The banquet was held in the Flower Hall, its size perfectly suited to the occasion. Jiang Yu, who had arrived with Qi An, her head bowed in deference, suddenly recognized a familiar figure at the central table.

“Is that… the Third Princess?” Jiang Yu exclaimed, surprised and delighted. She quickly tugged at Qi An’s sleeve and led her over.

Chen Qianqian, usually so unassuming that no one had noticed her presence, stood up and bowed in greeting. “Greetings, Miss Jiang.”

Though Chen Qianqian had changed her attire for the occasion, the fiery red of her palace robes still hinted at her heroic spirit. Her voice, clear and resonant, stood out among the soft, refined tones of the other ladies present.

Seeing Chen Qianqian’s fiery enthusiasm, Jiang Yu suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Since Chen Qianqian was here, she must have witnessed the earlier commotion.

“I didn’t expect this old hag to have any fire left in her,” Chen Qianqian remarked bluntly, noticing Jiang Yu’s discomfort. Qi An stood quietly before Jiang Yu, bowing respectfully. “Greetings, Third Princess.”

Chen Qianqian nodded in acknowledgment, her gaze lingering on Qi An. Seeing their seemingly harmonious interaction, Jiang Yu breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her attention back to the jade bangle wearer, knowing that the dishes would soon be served. If she didn’t find them soon, chaos would surely ensue.

Chen Qianqian noticed Jiang Yu’s distracted demeanor and excused her to attend to her duties. She returned to her seat, occasionally exchanging pleasantries with Shen Yun, subtly fostering goodwill between the two nations.

Jiang Yu rose and scanned the Flower Hall, but the jade bangle remained elusive. She crouched down with a sigh. Qi An clumsily patted her head before glancing around.

“Sit down and rest. I’ll take care of it,” Qi An said with an unyielding tone. She helped Jiang Yu up, her voice cold but her actions gentle. She guided Jiang Yu to a chair near the door. Jiang Yu’s eyes filled with worry. After all, she hadn’t even found the jade bangle in her mind, so how could Qi An possibly find it?

Before Jiang Yu could say anything more, Qi An turned and walked toward the kitchen. Without Qi An by her side, Jiang Yu felt a sudden panic and forced herself to stay alert, scanning her surroundings.

Dishes were brought out one after another, and the atmosphere among the Madams and Misses had eased. Dowager Consort Zhang wore a smug smile, as if victory were within reach. Yet Jiang Yu still hadn’t seen Qi An.

Her heart raced with anxiety.

Jiang Yu didn’t know what to do, so she stood up and began pacing. Shen Yun beckoned her over, urging her to sit down so Dowager Consort Zhang wouldn’t find another fault with her restlessness.

Still consumed by worry and unsure of what to do, Jiang Yu walked toward Shen Yun in a daze. Just then, a figure strode quickly through the main entrance of the Flower Hall, moving even faster than Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu rubbed her eyes and stared blankly at the approaching figure, finally recognizing it as Qi An. Qi An was headed straight for Chen Qianqian, who was dressed in imperial robes.

At that moment, Chen Qianqian was holding a bowl of sweet soup, preparing to take a sip to stimulate her appetite. But Qi An rushed over and snatched the bowl right out of her hands. In her haste, she spilled the soup all over the table. Fortunately, due to Chen Qianqian’s status as the princess of the Li State, no one else was seated at the table.

“What’s going on here?” The Madam of the Duke’s Residence, seated at a nearby table, frowned and turned around at the commotion. As the wife of a high-ranking noble, she was privy to various court matters, including the Li State’s decision to send their princess.

Unwilling to offend Chen Qianqian, the Madam took her anger out on Qi An instead. Her longstanding friendship with Dowager Consort Zhang had deepened her hostility toward Qi An.

“This servant was wrong,” Qi An said, neither overly deferential nor confrontational. “I intended to serve the Third Princess, but I botched it. I hope the princess will calm her anger.” Though she appeared to be apologizing, her demeanor remained composed and dignified.

Seeing this, Jiang Yu quickly hurried over and stood beside Qi An. Chen Qianqian, who hadn’t thought much of the incident in the first place, now remembered her mission in the Dàyuān Dynasty upon seeing Jiang Yu. Smiling, she turned to the Madam of the Duke’s Residence and said, “Madam, please don’t be angry. It was just an accident—I lost my grip on the sweet soup bowl. Today is a special day for the General’s Residence, so let’s not let this mar the atmosphere.”

Since even Chen Qianqian herself didn’t elaborate further, the Madam of the Duke’s Residence could only furrow her brow and turn away. She knew her own limitations well enough; she might be able to show off in front of others, but she couldn’t afford to offend the General’s Residence.

Lu Wu noticed the problem and quickly rushed over with several maids to clean up the spilled sweet soup. She then went to instruct the kitchen staff to bring a fresh bowl. Qi An, still kneeling on the floor, whispered emotionlessly, “All the dishes at this banquet are safe and delicious, but this appetizer sweet soup must not be eaten.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Yu’s mind went blank. So… had she been protected by Qi An again? What exactly had she overheard just now?

Jiang Yu glanced around the table and noticed that none of the appetizer soups had been touched. Shen Yun hadn’t officially declared the meal open yet, but Chen Qianqian, feeling parched and being the only one at the table, had decided to take a sip early. Realizing this, Jiang Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Once her thoughts returned to the present, her first order of business was to instruct Lu Wu to remove all the appetizer soups.

Chen Qianqian, though chivalrous by nature, was well aware of the Palace’s murky undercurrents. She lowered her gaze, pulled Qi An to her feet, and the three of them settled into their seats. Only after confirming that Lu Wu had removed all the appetizer soups did she feel relieved enough to ask Qi An what exactly he had discovered.

“When I entered the kitchen just now, I saw an unfamiliar cook sprinkling something into the remaining soups. The powder came from a bracelet on her wrist. I subdued her with a little intimidation, and she claimed the powder would only cause vomiting and diarrhea. But no matter how I pressed, she couldn’t reveal who ordered her to do it—she seemed genuinely unaware herself.”

Qi An’s expression was grave, not because the incident itself troubled her, but because the only known method of inducing memory loss on such a widespread scale was the Bone Tribe’s Shexin Bell.

Could the Bone Tribe have targeted us after all? she wondered. But they’ve always acted decisively, never leaving loose ends. If they truly intended revenge, they wouldn’t rely solely on laxatives.

Qi An had already removed the jade bangle, preserving enough of the powdered substance to have it examined by a physician after the banquet.

Once she finished speaking, Chen Qianqian was at a loss for words, while Jiang Yu frantically searched her memories for any relevant information. In the original story, Dowager Consort Zhang had merely wanted to embarrass Shen Yun during the banquet, making it highly likely that the powder was indeed a laxative. But… as a high-ranking Dowager Consort, she would typically delegate such matters to her subordinates.

Could her subordinates have ulterior motives against the General’s Residence?

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